New Berlin, Wisconsin Real Estate: Buy or Sell With Rich Barnes

Many New Berlin clients are moving up to more room, which usually means selling one home and buying the next at the same time. I explain every step, and I work with several trusted loan officers so the sale, the purchase and the loan move in step.

If you are selling, every home I list gets a pre-listing inspection, professional photography, a 3D virtual tour, its own web page with a QR code on the yard sign, and postcards to 200 neighbors. See my New Berlin selling page. If you are buying, I tell you what I see in each home. Start with move-up buying in New Berlin, or read about downsizing in New Berlin if you want less house.

New Berlin has real variety: ranches, split-levels, two-story colonials, contemporary homes, condominiums and some larger custom properties. Established housing is mostly from the 1950s through the 1980s, and many subdivisions were built from the 1990s on.

• 1950s to 1970s ranches: often three bedrooms, full basements, attached garages and larger yards than you would find in Milwaukee or West Allis.
• 1970s to 1990s split-levels and two-stories: more living space, family rooms, multiple baths and traditional suburban layouts.
• 1990s to 2010s subdivisions: more modern kitchens, primary suites, attached two- or three-car garages and open living areas.
• Custom homes and larger properties: wooded lots, spacious yards and some properties on an acre or more.
• Condominiums: less exterior maintenance while staying in New Berlin. Review the association fees and rules.

A bigger lot is not automatically a better purchase. I still look at the roof, the foundation, the mechanical systems, the drainage and the overall maintenance. Some larger properties also have private wells or septic systems, so I confirm the utilities, along with the added inspection and upkeep. I do not quote a median here because prices move. Call me for what similar homes have actually sold for.

These are broad tendencies, not promises. Compared with Greenfield, New Berlin often has a higher entry price, larger homes to maintain and a less central location. Compared with West Allis, there are fewer traditional starter homes and duplexes and fewer walkable older commercial districts. Compared with Brookfield, there are fewer big shopping and dining destinations. Compared with Wauwatosa, there are fewer historic neighborhoods and walkable village districts. Compared with Muskego, there is less lake-oriented living.

Homes can cost more than comparable ones in Milwaukee, West Allis or Greenfield, though individual properties and neighborhoods vary. If you want a small, inexpensive house close to downtown Milwaukee, New Berlin may not be where I send you first. If you want more space, a larger yard and a traditional suburban setting, it is well worth a look. Send me a message or call 414-899-8146, and see the Realty Experts home page.